Developing Trusted-Champion Relationships: A Guide

Building and maintaining trusted-champion relationships can be pivotal to your success. Such relationships transcend basic networking and foster a deep mutual understanding and trust that can lead to fruitful collaborations and word of mouth marketing opportunities. In this blog post, we will explore a comprehensive guide to developing these valuable Trusted-Relationships into Trusted-Champion Relationships, starting from initial meetings to becoming Champions.

Explore a comprehensive guide to developing these valuable Trusted-Relationships into Trusted-Champion Relationships, starting from initial meetings to becoming Champions.

Step 1: The Initial Connection with another Member

The journey begins at an initial H7 meeting where you identify potential champions within your network in an H7 Meeting. This initial step sets the foundation for further interactions.

Reflection Questions:

What qualities do you seek in a potential champion (Center of Influence), and how can they complement your professional journey?
How can you present yourself authentically to establish a genuine connection from the beginning?

Step 2: The First Connect, Serve, and Ask™ One to one

Scheduling a 30-minute Connect, Serve, and Ask™ One-to-one meeting is the next move. This serves as an opportunity to genuinely connect, discuss mutual interests, and identify how you can support each other.

Reflection Questions:

How can you add value to your potential champion during this meeting?
What are the primary goals you aim to achieve through this 1-to-1 session?

Step 3: Deepening the Relationship with a Second Connect, Serve, and Ask™ One-to-one Meeting

Once the initial meeting is done, the Second Connect, Serve, and Ask™ One-to-one meeting aims to deepen your understanding of each other’s professional landscape. The focus is on mutual knowledge, likability, and trust.

Reflection Questions:

How did your understanding of the person’s professional ethics and values evolve between the first and second meeting?
What strategies can you employ to further build trust in this future collaboration?

Step 4: Developing the Trusted-Champion Relationship

After two or three successful Connect, Serve, and Ask™ One to ones, you’re ready to officially cultivate a trusted-champion relationship. This involves strategizing on how to mutually benefit each other’s network and resources.

Reflection Questions:

What unique resources or knowledge can you offer to fortify this champion relationship?
How do you plan to communicate the expectations and goals for this relationship to ensure mutual benefit?

Collaboration Opportunities

Once a trusted partnership blooms, there are numerous collaborative ventures you can embark on together:

Collaborate with your Trusted-Champion Relationships to Co-Create Content: Engage in joint initiatives that leverage each other’s strengths.
Collaborate or Cross-Promote on Social Media with your Trusted-Champion Relationships: Share content and support each other’s presence on digital platforms.
Collaborate with your Trusted-Champion Relationships in Industry Collaborations: Work on creating insightful content or co-branded products that highlight both of your expertise.
Collaborate with your Trusted-Champion Relationships to Create Co-Branded Products or Services that Cater to a Shared Target Audience: Contribute guest posts for each other’s blogs and provide testimonials to solidify credibility.
Collaborate with your Trusted-Champion Relationships and Invite them to provide Testimonials or Endorsements or Guest Contributions on Your Website, Blog, or Social Media Channels: Encourage your Trusted-Champion Relationships to share their positive experiences through testimonials, endorsements, or guest contributions.
Connect, Serve, and Ask™ Champion Recurring Meeting Agenda: More than just a framework, this agenda acts as a catalyst for nurturing these vital relationships, enabling you to expand your relationship and prospect pipeline with greater predictability and consistency. (Learn more)
Even more options of collaboration

Reflection Questions:

Which collaboration opportunity aligns best with your strategic goals, and why?
How will you ensure that the collaborative efforts remain mutually rewarding?

Using the Champion Reoccurring Meeting Agenda

Implementing a structured agenda for regular champion meetings can help maintain the momentum and focus needed for sustained success. This involves preparing in advance and using templates to streamline introductions and opportunities.

Prepare a List of Desired Introductions: Before each meeting, identify 10 potential new connections that align with your champion’s network.
Utilize Templates for Consistency: Implement resources such as LinkedIn introduction templates to facilitate seamless connections.

Reflection Questions:

How can you effectively use the champion reoccurring meeting agenda to create valuable introductions?
What measures will you take to assess the success and growth of your champion relationships periodically?

Conclusion

Building trusted-champion relationships is a nurturing process that hinges on mutual trust, value exchange, and strategic collaboration. By following these steps, you can cultivate partnerships that open doors to new opportunities and create predictable, sustainable success in your professional journey. Engage in reflection at each stage to adapt and optimize your approach, ensuring these relationships remain robust and impactful.